Power of the Gods
by Madstar38
Summary: AU!From a young age very few believed in her, mostly just her mother. Bullied, friendless and quirkless. Her mother takes her back to her home villiage of Kamiki where she meets a white wolf. Is it a chance encounter, or perhaps a sign of something more?Fem!Izuku.
1. Izumi Midoriya Origins Pt1

**_Disclaimer: I do not own My hero academia or Okami._**

_Warning(s): __AU. Genderbent Izuki. Possible OOCness. Instances of blood/violence/gore, things of that nature since-hey, at the end of they day they're still fighting-and some quirks are more privy to things of that nature._

_Now without further ado, enjoy the first chapter!_

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**_Izumi Midoriya Origins pt.1_**

* * *

_Hero._

To a young Midoriya Izumi, that word meant everything. The pinnacle of mankind's greatest ideals and a showcase of its willpower. For as long as she was able to remember, Izumi idolized heroes and heroines and everything surrounding them. Spending hours upon hours re-watching the same clips of her favorite heroes saving the day.

She was in awe while watching them, enamored by what they could do and what they stood for. She especially enjoyed watching videos from when certain heroes made their debuts.

In an ever-evolving world where Quirks, the supernatural abilities that manifested in humans, dominated over eighty percent of the world's populace, it was given there would come those who abused their natural-given powers. They terrorized the civilians daily, from havoc rivaling natural disasters in some areas to even mischief as simple as day-to-day robberies. And much like in the comic books of old it was another super-powered individual who rose up from the ranks to defeat these more villainous members of society.

All around the world, crime rates started to climb higher from nefarious Quirk users, and the profession that had once only seemed possible in dreams came into the limelight. More and more individuals setting themselves apart from the others, putting evil-doers in their place and rescuing those in need. In what seemed like a blink of the eye, Heroes had become a common occurrence.

Heroism became the world's most renowned and respected profession, and there was nothing else in the whole world Izumi wanted more than to be one herself. She would be just like All Might, her favorite hero and the world-proclaimed Symbol of Peace, going against evil with inhuman strength and saving others with a smile. That's how Izumi wanted to save people too; with a smile.

"_Hahaha! It's fine now. Why?_"

Izumi watched the video play out across the screen with unfettered fascination, kicking her feet a little in excitement. It gave her chills no matter how many hundreds of times she watched.

"_Because I am here!_"

"Izumi! You're going to be late!" A voice called from just down the hall, startling Izumi from her awestruck trance.

"C-coming!" Izumi hurried to say, nearly tripping over her own two feet in her sudden rush to get ready. "Uh...I'll be there in a sec-mom! Don't come in here!" She said, rushing over to try and hold the door shut when she saw it swinging open.

"Sweetie, are you still not ready?" Came the slightly incredulous voice of Inko Midoriya, probably catching a glimpse of Izumi still in her pajamas her through the small opening from the slightly ajar door. "Mitsuki and Katsuki will be here in just a few minutes." Her mother chided gently, noticing the way Izumi's expression soured a bit at the mention of a certain ash-blonde boy.

From the safe confines of her bedroom, Izumi flinched at the mention of a certain explosive boy she knew. Her mind going back to just the other day on the playground, letting out a small sniffle.

"What's wrong, honey?" Inko inquired opening the door a bit more when she saw the beginnings of tears brewing in her young child's eyes.

"N-nothing Mommy...it's just…" Izumi faltered, looking uncertain while twisting the hem of her All Might pajama top.

"Izumi," Inko insisted gently, brushing away her daughters bangs so she could see her eyes more clearly. "Come on, tell Mommy what's wrong?"

"I don't wanna play with Kacchan anymore," Izumi remarked sadly. "Ever since he got his quirk he's been a jerk. He makes fun of me…"

Inko's brows pinched together in a small look of concern. She was fully aware that Mitsuki's son had already awakened his own quirk, more often than not being the first person to hear from Mitsuki about how everyone wouldn't stop praising him for it. Mitsuki would always tell her how it made her worry as Katsuki's ego seemed to be getting more and more out of hand because of it.

Izumi herself was already four, which is considered the age by which one's quirk typically manifests. As the days went by, Inko began to worry more and more.

To be dubbed Quirkless in today's society was, well, as Izumi's mother Inko naturally worried for her daughter's future;With so many spectacular abilities, it could be hard for someone without a quirk to get a good career. Inko already made plans to take Izumi into the doctor tomorrow, having run it by her husband as well. She just hoped it would be a positive venture.

.

.

….It wasn't. And a few days after, Izumi started coming home with more bruises.

Inko's mind was made up right then and there. She refused to put her only child through such hardship any longer. Using some of the money she'd saved up in case of emergency, she purchased two tickets and sent her husband a detailed letter on how they were going to stay with her relatives for a bit.

"Mommy? Where are we going?" Izumi asked for what might've been the twentieth time since her mother helped her pack. Not that Inko minded, her daughter was just curious is all, however, Inko had meant for it to be a surprise for her daughter-an early birthday present.

"Well, remember how I promised to show you the place where I grew up one day?"

Izumi's face was beaming. "You mean I get to see Kanuiki village!?"

"Kamiki Village, dear. And yes, the cherry blossoms are in bloom this season so I thought it'd be the perfect opportunity." Inko explained patiently. "Every year there's a great festival where we give our thanks to the guardian of our village.

"The one that helped defeat the dragon and save great-aunt Nami?"

Inko nodded with a fond smile, internally recounting Izumi's favorite bedtime story as her mother once told her so long ago.

"Are we gonna get to see the shrine?"

"Hmm, maaybe~" Inko teased in a sing-song voice, reminiscing of her first visit to one of her home's more well-known landmarks. And the main reason tourists dare to venture so far into their little village.

Izumi bounced in her seat excitedly, shooting off questions at rapid fire without giving Inko all that much time to answer.

~/~

It was a festival of colors and laughter, smiles and dancing.

Izumi Midoriya lingered near the large archway that led into what her mother described as the center of Kamiki village, the place where her mother had been born, fidgeting some while her eyes went anywhere and everywhere at once-seeing people, decorative ribbons- she had never seen such celebration before. Even her own birthdays, which consisted of just her and her mom most of the time. Dad just couldn't make it, did not have so much decoration. It was daunting in a way, momentarily overpowering her small surge of curiosity in wanting to see the townsfolk up close and personal rather than from the pop-up books back at home her mom read to her.

'_Everyone looks so happy_,' the small girl thought, forcing herself to take that first step, swallowing hard.

"Izumi, look over there." Her mother said before she could get too far, pulling her child close and pointing towards a nearby hill. "If you go up that hill and take a left at the fork in the road you'll be able to see the shrine."

Izumi's face split into a radiant smile, bouncing with excitement. "Really!? Can we go, Mom? Can we!?"

Inko let out a bout of musical sounding laughter at her daughter's enthusiasm. "We will Izumi, but first why don't we-"

"Well now, as I live and breathe! Is that you, Inko?"

Inko and her daughter both turned, Izumi's eyes becoming wide as an owl's and unable to look anywhere other than the orange sitting atop his bald head watching how it wobbled and bounced with his movements. "Oh my, Mr. Orange it's been quite a long time hasn't it?"

'_Mr_..._Orange_?' Izumi repeated it over and over to herself, trying to recall ever hearing such a strange name before now. '_Is it_..._a nickname_?' Izumi wondered, smiling when she saw how his withered gaze snapped towards her.

"Oho, and who might this young lass be?"

"This is my daughter, I'm sure I mentioned her in the letters I sent?" Inko informed, having kept in touch with her village despite its lack of modern day technology. Izumi had stumbled in on her, noticing her writing a letter to someone named Mrs. Orange from time to time, and at first dismissed it as some kind of inside joke they had going on.

"Ah yes, the quirkless-ah ah I mean! The smart one, yes!" Mr. Orange said, hurriedly correcting his mistake and laughing rather loudly, then wincing a bit when Izumi's face fell at the reminder.

A beat of silence passed between them before Inko began talking once more, shifting the conversation into a lighter direction, the village elder happily going along with it. Izumi's attention however, had drifted gazing forlornly up ahead towards the peak of the hill that lay close to the center of the humble village.

She blinked, rubbing at her eyes when she saw something shimmering up near the top. Looking again, she was barely able to make out the outline of a...wolf? A rather weird looking one, at who had ever heard of a wolf with flames on its back?

Taking a quick peek behind her, Izumi saw that her mom and the elder were still conversing.

Looking back toward the hill, she caught a small glimpse of silver hidden behind the trees, disappearing when she blinked. Her brows furrowed together into a small look of befuddlement taking a few steps closer struggling a bit to make her way through the sea of townsfolk. She went left, they went right. Her small stomach growled when the scent of something delicious came drifting her way, drawing her attention back around, pulling her towards a random stall – one of few lined up along the streets.

She stopped in front of the more decorated stand, barely reaching up over the counter-top. Her eyes were wide with her lips parted the smallest amount, drool forming at the corners standing on her very little tiptoes and seeing the biggest slab of meat she'd ever beheld slowly being cooked to perfection. The aroma of the different blends of spices and seasonings was heavenly. Tilting her head just a little more she was able to read the sign hanging up above…

'_Bappa_.._Bappa_ ..._bowls_?' She'd never heard of such a dish and was fairly certain her mom had never cooked it before. Perhaps she had simply misread…?

"Order up!" One of the people standing on the other side of the counter called, with Izumi catching a whiff of something delicious as a bowl was sent sliding right past where she was peering over the edge of the stand making her stomach growl loudly at the aroma of meat, well-seasoned with various herbs grown around the nearby forests and just the right mix of fresh vegetables on the side. What Izumi failed to notice was the slender pair of hands that caught it, stopping it from rushing off and hitting the gravel-covered side of the road accompanied by the sound of smacking lips in obvious delight.

The owner of the hands that caught said bowl looked up, seeing the way Izumi was frowning while hearing her tiny stomach growl and still looking at the meat being cooked, her delicate features pulling into a small look of dismay digging around in her pockets a moment later.

"Excuse me..."

Izumi turned, blinking wide eyes up at the other person, a girl – she could tell by the high pitch of voice and the other's much larger chest area – feeling a tad sheepish for not noticing her before offering a small apologetic bow, figuring her to be of higher standing than most of the others judging by the ornate design of her clothes. It was rare for her to be so unobservant of such things. The girl just looked too much like a princess of some kind; with her flowing pink-colored sleeves and ornate green-leaf hair piece carefully woven into her dark tresses.

Emerald-green eyes met olive-black and somehow Izumi felt a tad smaller standing before such ethereal beauty before realizing the other girl had left the stool she sat on, seemingly floating, leaning incredibly close and down into Izumi's own personal space. "Uh, um...p-pardon, but why are you...?" Izumi taking a few cautionary steps back, averting her eyes shyly.

"Hmm," the raven-haired girl didn't comment on the others obvious discomfort, looking perplexed. "Oh I'm terribly sorry, it's just...gosh, has anyone ever told you that you have a most peculiar aura?" Izumi shifted, her small fingers nervously twisting the hem of her shirt.

"Peculiar...aura?"

"Hmmm, yes, it is most intriguing. It reminds me of...**_Shiranui_**…"

Izumi remembered hearing the name from some of her mom's bedtime stories about a white wolf who saved the village, and her own great-aunt. She didn't think much of it at the time, after all a story is just that-a story. More myth than anything else.

She would be proven wrong.

~/~

_There are stories about Heroes and how they all got their start, telling how they started moving without thinking._

_When she mentioned Shiranui, I didn't think anything of it or the white wolf I had seen._

_Maybe I should have, then I might've been a little more prepared._

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**_Review please._**


	2. Izumi Midoriya Origins Pt2

**_Disclaimer: I do not own My hero academia or Okami._**

_Warning(s): __AU. Genderbent Izuki. Possible OOCness. Instances of blood/violence/gore, things of that nature since-hey, at the end of they day they're still fighting-and some quirks are more privy to things of that nature._

_Now without further ado, enjoy!_

* * *

**_Izumi Midoriya Origins pt.2_**

* * *

Inko was conflicted and just a wee bit antsy, truth be told. She kept sneaking glances towards the front door of the house where her daughter _should_ _have already come barreling in_. What if she was lost? What if she had wandered outside the village? What if she-

"Calm down Inko dear, you're wearing out the floor panels you know." Mrs. Orange spoke up from the table where she had set a freshly brewed pot of tea down between her and her husband after inviting Inko inside. "I'm sure little Izumi is fine, the village isn't that big after all and the people here are all good folk."

"Yes, yes! You said yourself that she's wanted to see the festival for quite some time now, so let her explore!" Mr. Orange said, partially influenced by a few too many sips of sake, if the slightly exasperated look on the missus' face was any indication. Inko smiled, a part of her happy to see nothing much had changed in her absence.

"Dear, I think perhaps you'd best take it easy with the sake...after all, you wouldn't want to overdo it before all the cherry blossoms are in bloom would you?" Mrs. Orange chided, expression turning a tad more stern seeing her husband about to protest. "We wouldn't want a repeat of what happened _last year_ after all."

Mr. Orange paled, his mouth snapping shut at the reminder. Inko however frowned in confusion, giving the old man a brief cursory glance. "Last year?...Did-did something happen?" Inko inquired, a bit fearful of the answer, especially with the sharp glare Mrs. Orange was giving her husband.

"Nothing you need to worry about dearie. Now then, why don't I make us all a fresh batch of cherry cakes to go along with the tea. Yum~!" Mrs. Orange chirped happily, rising from her seat and walking over the tiny kitchen area.

Just as Inko opened her mouth to insist it was unnecessary, she heard the front door swinging open.

Inko, still frantic, said,"Izumi! Goodness, where have you be-"

"Mom, I saw it! I saw it!" Izumi said, bouncing around in her glee and interrupting Inko, Izumi's eyes glittering with a strange mix of awe and joy.

Inko was confused. "Izumi, what're you-"

"I saw a wolf! With fur as white as snow, standing right at the top of the hill!" Izumi cut in, already in the process of tugging on her mother's cardigan sleeve, trying to haul the older woman into the doorway while pointing to the long stairway in the distance. "Right over there, see!? Right near those trees!" Izumi was bouncing in place excitedly.

The elderly couple merely laughed, each sporting varying levels of bemusement as Inko ushered her daughter back inside with a soft spoken 'yes, yes', steering the younger girl towards the table where Mr. Orange still sat. Her hands busily worked to straighten out the unruly locks of dark green hair on her beloved daughter's head which had been blown back and forth by the ongoing breeze.

"So," Mr. Orange began drawing Izumi's attention towards him with a knowing glint in his wizened gaze, "saw a wolf, eh? And it looked an awful lot like that Shiranui from the legend. Interesting!"

"Do you think...Do you think it might have been him?" Izumi wondered aloud, wriggling with excitement in her spot, expression beaming. "Oh, but…" her enthusiasm dampened, brows pulling together into a mild look of disappointment, feeling a tad foolish for getting so worked up over a simple bedtime story.

"I guess...that'd be impossible, wouldn't it? It's just a story after all…That's what Kacchan always says." Izumi muttered glumly, the reminder of her former friend still stung. The lingering burn marks from his quirk certainly hadn't helped any.

A somewhat awkward silence settled in the room after that, and Izumi felt bad knowing she was at fault for it. Her gaze dropping a little more feeling the all too familiar prick building behind her eyes not wanting to risk being called 'crybaby deku'-one of the many nicknames given to her back on the playground by Kacchan and the others-pulling away from her mother's gentle, loving hands with a barely audible mutter of 'excuse me' and then she was out the door again.

Inko watched her go, pain evident on her face as the door swung shut. All traces of joy and excitement Izumi had when entering were already gone and replaced with that all too familiar look of despair.

How Inko wished Izumi saw herself the way she did.

"I see what you meant earlier when you said it was bad…Oh dear me." Mrs. Orange clicked her tongue in disapproval. "To think that children could be so cruel to one another, and she seems like such a sweet girl too."

"Indeed. Why, Mushi never acts that way." Mrs. Orange added a moment later, "and come to think of it neither does that sweet little boy that comes by occasionally to play with him, what was his name now?...Ah yes, Kokari!"

"True, though I suppose in part that may be due to him not wanting to get thumped by his mother, ahaha!" Mr. Orange said, smiling fondly while taking another long sip of tea.

"Mushi? And Kokari?" Inko repeated curiously, an idea forming in her mind. Thinking that perhaps if Izumi had _other_, more well-mannered, friends her age to play with, her confidence would improve. Surely it was worth a try, wasn't it?

"Do either of you happen to know when this boy, Kokari, usually stops by to play with Mushi?" Inko asked curiously. An idea forming in her head.

"Well, let's see now…" hummed, thinking hard. "He never misses the festival, usually stopping by with his father and dog, Ume."

"I believe they should be here around noon or so today; Karude mentioned he likes to stop by while the sun's still out. It's easier that way to do some early morning hunting and such, since the two of them live in the Agata Forest area you see."

"Really? So...they live by the Tsuta Ruins then?" Inko asked, intrigued to find out someone had actually set up residence there, given the lack of shops around that area and the heavy population of wildlife. Inko could even recall getting frightened as a child when her cousin tried scaring her with tales of the Tsuta ruins being the nest of a monster feeling a shiver of fright whenever she remembered seeing the silhouette of long, nimble-moving limbs and sharp, gleaming teeth..

"Yes. They're kind enough to bring along some meats that are scarce here in Kamiki. After all, things like pigs, deer or even horses are a bit harder to come by in these parts." Mrs. Orange informed, glancing towards her husband who nodded along before offering his own two cents into the conversation.

"Not to mention some of the ingredients they bring help Kushi in preparing her sake. She made a real zinger of a flavor last year, ohohoho!" Mr. Orange exclaimed jovially

"Yes, too bad a certain someone decided to drink nearly two-thirds of it all by his lonesome self…." The missus cut in with a soured look on her face.

Mr. Orange flinched at the accusing look his wife threw his way yet again, shoulders slumping in defeat unable to offer any sort of comeback or defense on his part.

"You make me sound no better than Susano…" He muttered glumly.

"Susano!? Did you say Susano is..._here_?" Inko said, unable to help the trepidation that poured into the one word, or how her brows knitted together into a look of concern.

The old couple froze, realizing their slip of the tongue a bit too late.

Meanwhile, continuing her trek away from the house her mother was in, Izumi moped around unsure of even where she had so quickly run off to. She didn't really know the layout of the village too well, after all. Her mother always said how it wasn't anything too large like that of Qing Qing city; the village and its surrounding areas were mostly regarded as hot tourist spots and not much else, the legend of Nagi and Shiranui drawing heroes from afar.

After all, it's one thing to hear of a hero triumphing over a god-like beast with another god fighting alongside them, but to hear said individual was _quirkless_\- yet another reason so few believed the tale to be true. And it was also a big part of the reason Izumi loved to hear it so much.

Still…"I am no Nagi." She said aloud, her tiny fists clenched at her sides.

She was quirkless like Nagi, but that's all. If faced with the same level of danger, could she really find it in her to stand her ground and fight? And to _win_ of all things?

She thought back to her days on the playground, more specifically a time she went after recently being diagnosed as quirkless…

"_Worthless_!"

"_Loser_!"

"_Weirdo_!"

"_Dummy_!"

"_Charity-case_!"

"_**Quirkless**_!"

_"Tch, are you still following us around!? Get lost worthless Deku!" Izumi barely had time to blink before letting out a pained gasp, taking a heavy explosion to the stomach that knocked her off her feet and down onto her back. The familiar face of Katsuki Bakugo, the boy she'd known since they were both still in diapers sneered down at her, his palms sparking with explosions._

_His group of followers all joined him in his boisterous laughter. Even throwing a few more insults her way, all of which cut a little deeper into her soul each time._

_"What a freakin' joke you are, **Deku**!" One cheered, laughing and pointing with their own quirk showing proudly, the crimson-colored bat wings sticking out form their bat glistening in the light of the sun._

_"As if someone like you could ever be a hero! You're just a Quirkless loser!" Another snickered, their limbs shaped like large springs._

_"Maybe her plan was to **cry** them to death, crybaby Deku to the rescue! Hahahaha" A third joined in._

_"What do you expect? I bet that's why her dad's not around anymore, he probably couldn't stand having such a **loser** for a daughter, so he left for the states!" The fourth little lackey snickered at his own joke, not even bothering to hide his cruel grin._

_And all the while Kacchan did nothing, nothing to tell them otherwise...nothing to protect the girl that was his longtime friend from the cruelty and unfairness being given to her. Instead he only fired off more explosions in her face every time she tried to get back up. She would stand only to topple back down immediately afterwards, Kacchan's cackles growing louder all the while._

'_All men are not created equal_.' Izumi understood such words now, having lived them everyday since that fateful visit to the doctor.

She had no friends. No quirk. What she did have was her mom, and despite what those jerks said, she still had her dad right? That thought alone brought a smile back onto her face, albeit a weak, watery one, but a smile nonetheless.

'_Yes, I have to smile_!' She told herself mentally, pouring as much strength into her smile as she possibly could so that it was as big as All Might's. '_A hero always saves people with a smile, and that's what I'll do...somehow_.'

"It's fine now! Why? Because _I_ am here! Hahahaha!" She bellowed out feeling a weight lift off her small shoulders. Repeating All Might's catchphrase always made her feel a little better.

….Or at least it would have. Were it not for the two pairs of bewildered eyes staring back at her.

"What are you doing?"

"How come you're talking to yourself?"

The two boys, each around her age from what she could tell, asked at the same time; both of whom were accompanied by a dog.

"Come to think of it, I've never seen you before. Are you here to check out the festival?" The boy holding the end of a long string-the other end attached to a dragonfly, strangely enough- inquired tilting his curiously while looking her over a bit.

"Your clothes look a bit unusual...are you from the city maybe?" The other boy was wearing what appeared to be some kind of hat shaped like a rabbit, if Izumi had to take a wild guess. A part of her hoped it wasn't real fur, her stomach turning at the thought.

"Um, I…" Neither boy took notice of how poor Izumi's face turned redder and redder the more they spoke, embarrassment overriding her ability to talk from having been caught in such an awkward moment. "I-I...aaaahhh!"

Her sudden scream startled them as she took off like a lightning bolt, wanting nothing more than to stop and bury her head in a fresh pile of dirt. The last thing she needed was to start being bullied here in Kamiki as well, and now she'd gone and made the locals think she was nuts probably. She continued running, not even stopping when they called out to her from behind.

What a disaster things were turning out to be for her!

~/~

Sakuya hovered near the top branches of her beloved tree, Konohana.

"It's so strange ...that girl, I was almost certain that I sensed Shiranui within her. How could that be, I wonder?" The wood sprite contemplated, gazing below at the peaceful village of Kamiki.

Her thoughts kept going back to that small moment in time. Thinking back to those oval-shaped green eyes that looked like they could pierce one's soul. Her gaze shifted at the sound of hurried footsteps drawing closer seeing the very person she had been thinking about reaching the top of the winding stairway.

'_It is that girl again_._Interesting_.' She mused.

"_Peculiar_..._aura_?" She remembered the smaller girl asking.

~/~

_"Hmmm, yes, it is most intriguing. It reminds me of...**Shiranui**…"_

_Sakuya pulled back a bit now, looking at the girl with a mix of curiosity and intrigue. "Have you heard the legend? The one of Shiranui and Nagi?" Sakuya asked, tilting her head just the smallest amount._

_A part of her felt it strange if anyone dwelling in Kamiki **hadn't** heard the tale, truth be told; even travelers from afar seemed to know of it from what she could tell._

_It was that very praise that kept her so strong over the years, especially with the rise of what many called "Quirks". Only ones like Sakuya herself knew better though, knowing that these gifts were in fact a form of a 'blessing' -one of insurance, so humans could protect themselves better. So that a tragedy like Orochi would hopefully never again occur._

_Her essence had not been strong enough to assume a physical form as it was now, so she is limited in her knowledge of the wolf that was able to drive back Orochi. She remembers barely being able to **feel** the wolf's presence, a warmth and power unlike any other flowing through the very earth and steadily allowing her to grow and flourish._

_The child reminded her of that feeling...that wonderful, blissful **warmth** that only the great Mother Amaterasu's true incarnation could provide._

_The question she was left pondering was why? The child was only human after all, wasn't she?_

_"Yeah! My mom used to read that story to me all the time, it was the one where Shiranui and Nagi fought against Orochi right?" The girl who introduced herself as Izumi had said. The young child's eyes had gleamed in excitement only to dim a moment later, her gaze falling in a dejected manner. "Only...she stopped reading it to me one night, after I got scared." Izumi said the last part a bit more quietly, as though ashamed._

_"Oh? Why's that? Afraid Orochi might come after you?" Sakuya said with a light-hearted laugh, meant to earn a giggle and lift the young girl's spirits again. Only for it to have the opposite effect instead._

_"I ...thought I heard a roar one night when she was reading." Izumi whispered._

_The smile on Sakuya's face froze in an instant. The wood sprite felt a sudden eerie chill swept through her being, not like the cold of a winter breeze that made humans shiver and sneeze, but something far more sinister. She didn't ask for the child to elaborate._

_The child excused herself shortly after, mentioning how her mother was no doubt worried about where she'd run off to. Sakuya let her go, watching as her small body disappeared in the crowd._

She hummed watching the very same girl from before now hesitantly stepping closer to the statue of Shiranui, looking at it with a mix of awe and fear, almost like she believed it would come to life in order to leap down and attack her. The notion only solidified Sakuya's growing opinion that this particular girl was an oddity among humans.

'_What does she intend to do, I wonder_? _Offer her prayers perhaps_?'

~/~

Every inch of her was trembling. And not from the chilly breeze blowing around her.

Face to face with the visage of one of her all time favorite stories Izumi could not help but feel there was something almost..._**familiar**_ about it. The stone carving of Shiranui beckoned her forward somehow, it's lifeless eyes urging her those few precious steps closer.

Somewhere in the back of her mind a long forgotten memory fought its way to the surface of her mind, like a dream she could almost reach for but not quite hold. So she stared, and stared, deep into the lifeless stone eyes. Hoping for something to help soothe the ache from Kacchan's words and her own crushed dreams.

Wanting someone to say the words she so desperately wanted to hear. The ones not even her mother dared to utter.

"Um, uhh-hello?" She said, mentally kicking herself for being so scared of a statue. "Uh, m-my name is Izumi…" She muttered, remembering how her mother had once told her people that do this sort of thing usually give an offering of some kind.

She scrambled around for a moment looking for something a wolf might like and coming up with nothing.

"Maybe I should've bought some meat?" She wondered aloud, suddenly feeling a bit disheartened.

"Heeeey~!"

Izumi stilled, a small 'eep' spilling out while she turned with widened eyes seeing the two boys she'd run into before, now racing up the steps towards her with their dogs in tow. A part of her wanted to die right then and there, thinking they were about to start making fun of her. And if not now then surely they would once they knew she was quirkless, just like all her peers had.

The group of four skittered to a halt, the boys out of breath and each of their dogs tails wagging excitedly while barking.

"Whoa...you run fast…" The boy dressed in blue gasped, hands on his knees and sweat glistening on his brow. He straightened first, puffing his chest out a bit while continuing to talk. "But it's nothing Hayabusa and I can't handle, what with how fast he digs up my mom's turnips, he's the fastest dog in the village!"

"T-turnips…?" Izumi repeated, confused.

"Hey…" The other boy who wore a rabbit skin hat interrupted, looking a tad offended. "Are you calling me and Ume slow?"

"Well, yeah kind of." The blue clothed boy said, casually folding his arms behind his head, mindful of the small string keeping what Izumi could guess was a pet dragonfly from flying off into the great beyond. "After all, you still haven't managed to beat Hyabusa's record, so…"

"W-well, it was a tie though!" The other boy said in a half-hearted attempt to defend both himself and his dog. "A-and besides, i-it's only cuz my dad was calling for me and I had to leave."

"Um…"Izumi attempted to interject.

"Still, a tie's nothing to be proud of!" The dragonfly boy hurried to say, his dog letting out a bark of agreement. "If you're a man, you can't be satisfied with only a tie. Everyone knows that!"

"U-uhh…"Izumi took a small step back as the two descended further into their heated argument.

"W-well, can you build a bridge then, huh? Cuz my dad gave me the job of repairing the bridge to Taka pass!"

She watched the two slowly descend into petty insults being thrown at one another, each of them pushing up on their toes and pressing their faces together. The two dogs sat a safe distance away with the one that came running alongside the rabbit-wearing boy letting out a long yawn before laying down. The other dog, which Izumi guessed to be this Hayabusa, follows suit.

Izumi herself felt a sweatdrop form on the back of her head, seeing the two boys had taken to a game of 'fisticuffs' as they called it, scuffling with a cloud of dust forming around them. Although their reasoning and mannerisms were somewhat different, Izumi couldn't help but compare them to Kacchan with their desire to one-up the other.

She pondered if it was a trait all males shared or just the ones she was unfortunate enough to meet, then again she'd never heard her mother complain about her dad in such a way. She would have to ask the next time the opportunity presented itself.

Until then-

"You take that back, Ume's a hundred times better than Hayabusa ever will be!"

"You're dreaming if you think Hayabusa would lose to that klutzy dog of yours!"

-she needed to figure out what to do about _them_.

~/~

What a disaster things were turning out to be for him! And on today of all days.

Susano felt like his heart might burst out from his chest with how fast it was beating. His back pressed heavily against the door he'd just slammed shut, his palms clammy with sweat.

Why was Inko back? Why _now_!?

'_Has_-..._has she figured out what I'm planning to do_!?' He thought, panicked. '_No_..._no_.' He immediately reasoned, wringing his hands nervously. '_There's no way she could have known_. _Besides it sounded like she didn't even know I was here to begin with_…'

The thought caused a swell of sadness to re-emerge that he'd long thought to be buried deep in his gut after so many years apart. Him and his cousin haven't even spoken to one another since ...since….

'_Not since that incident when mother died_. _Heh_, _and she certainly wasted no time in leaving shortly after_,' he reasoned bitterly, forced to recall how lonely he'd been after his only family just up and left. It was true he and Inko hadn't had the best of relationships for quite some time.

Still, they were the only descendants of Nagi left. Once Inko abandoned him, that particular burden fell solely on Susanoo's shoulders to bear.

Susano, who was never quite as smart or capable as dear Inko. Lacking his cousin's grace and patience, Susanoo had long failed where Inko had excelled. Even in romance, Inko had always been successful whereas he hadn't even worked up the courage to have a half-decent conversation with Kushi yet, the girl he'd been pining over for years.

Not to mention Inko had a child. Susano had no one.

'_She didn't sound too happy to know I was here_.' He thought to himself, the encroaching despair in his gut growing larger, threatening to consume him. '_Then again_, _why would she be_?'

"_I hate you_! _I hate you_! _I hate you_! _I hate you_!" Her last words echoed in his mind, accompanied by her hate-filled gaze that was filled with tears firmly locked on him. No one else.

He stood in silence by the door a few moments longer, replaying the memories in his head of simpler times. Reaching a silent decision. "So what if she's back? I've gotten on fine without her thus far…" He muttered, finally stepping away, grabbing an unopened bottle of sake that Kushi had so kindly given to him a while back and heading downstairs into his private 'training room'.

He didn't notice the shadow lingering on the other side of the closed door, belonging to a sad looking Inko, one hand raised, prepared to knock when she heard his faint, muttered words and thought better of it. Stepping away with a crestfallen look on her face, turning and heading back to the Orange household to wait for her daughter to return.

High above the village of Kamiki, the sun was finally beginning to set for the day, signaling the festivities would soon get into full swing.

* * *

_**Review please.**_

_Hope you enjoyed!_


	3. A Terrible Fate

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Bnha or Okami._**

* * *

**_A Terrible Fate_**

* * *

"_Be the hero you want to see in the world, Inko__._"

Words can be a curse, especially those said in vain. Inko was about Izumi's age when she started giving up on her dreams. Started looking at things in a more realistic light.

_It was quick, no doubt about that. That's why the coffin stayed closed, Inko realized she was still feeling numb from the whole ordeal._

_A deep horror that was very nearly awe had stolen over her when she first set foot in the cave that was the Tsuta ruin-it was the kind of feeling usually reserved for only her worst of nightmares, the ones she would barely even remember upon awakening. 'Oh yeah, well if there's no monster then prove it. I dare you to go into the ruins and bring back, I don't know-a vase or something!,' she remembers Susano saying._

_"Ruins don't have vases!" She remembered giving the childish retort, part of her just really dead set on **not** going into the dark, creepy looking place. Only Susano was adamant, especially since she won their last fishing game._

_She tried not to remember the bitter cold chill of the wind blowing around inside, not wanting to deal with reality at that moment. Flinching at every sound no matter how small and far-off._

_She remembered how dismal the light peeking in through the cracks in the stone was, and how it quickly diminished with each and every small step deeper in. Susano was a jerk! Always making her do such ridiculous things._

_She wasn't exactly sure how long she had been walking, only that it felt like more than a few minutes. There were no vases or anything of great significance that she could bring back outside with her to show how far she'd gotten. There were however some mushrooms growing farther in, ones that looked far too big to be normal._

_So she climbed them, not seeing any other way further up. All she had to do was find something that maybe looked semi -important and she could leave with it. Leave and tell Susano not to bother her for the rest of the day._

_Only that plan quickly changed once she reached a certain room, gasping in horror at what she saw._

_It must have been quick, Inko realized. Because judging by how fresh the still spewing red liquid was gushing out of where the head used to be, the other child somehow missed the too large, too **demonic** looking monster that was still crunching down on their head. Inko felt something wet trickling down her legs, her limbs immediately starting to shake, dropping the single flashlight just as the head of long, stringy black hair whipped around._

_'It doesn't have eyes,' she remembered thinking. Then all she could remember was her running. Screaming at the top of her lungs for someone, **anyone** to not let her die._

_She didn't stop until she collided with Susano who was walking diligently(much to her surprise), right outside. As soon as the air was back in her lungs she kept screaming, ignoring Susano's attempts to get her to calm down. Unwilling to listen when her parents told her it wasn't real._

_She wished their words were true. Wished she had never taken such a stupid, **stupid** bet!_

_Because now she knew, horrific realization washing over her like a great and powerful wave. The realization that every story and myth she had ever been told was **real**. That the things mentioned in her favorite bedtime story involving her ancestor Nagi, they must be true._

_And that one, single truth was why she left Nippon as soon as humanly possible._

Inko was not superstitious though, if she were being completely honest. She didn't believe in things like 'fate' or 'destiny' like some of the locals in Nippon did. And though she never said it aloud, she didn't always believe in the legend of Amaterasu.

She believed the bad before the good, and she believed in a god's blessing only after opening her front door to find a little bundle of shining silver cloth laying on her welcome mat. Her precious daughter who was now her pride and joy, whose smile shone brighter than the sun.

So many times Inko had tried to ease into the topic of how Izumi wasn't related to her by blood, but the younger girl always managed to shift the conversation onto whatever hero was the center of her attention for the week. Over time Inko stopped trying, not wanting to ruin whatever delicate peace had settled over their home. She didn't want to chance having Izumi taken somewhere far away from her.

Only it seemed fate had other plans-

"_I saw a wolf! With fur as white as snow, standing right at the top of the hill!_"

-leaving Inko wracked with despair that whatever time she had left with her daughter was nearing its end.

She was pulled from such thoughts when she heard a knock at the door, having made it back to the Orange's house not too long ago needing a couple moments to herself since arriving back in Nippon. The elderly couple was all too understanding, neither pushing the issue as they left saying there were certain preparations that needed some tending didn't think they'd be back so soon…

"Long time no see, Inko-chan~!"

Inko blinked, her eyes slowly becoming wider as she took the person before her. Her hand falling from the knob with her mouth hanging open just a bit, awkwardly gawking. All too quickly tears gathered in her eyes, barely managing to muffle the sob of joy that came spilling out as she threw her arms around her longtime best friend.

"Rao! Oh, it's so wonderful to see you again!" Inko cried, embracing her fellow ravenette joyously.

"It's been so long! And...and you look so good!" Inko said, pulling back a bit. Rao _really_ did look good after everything that had happened between them. Remembering how her childhood friend mentioned something about taking over the 'family business'.

Her black hair was cut shorter than Inko, mostly hidden underneath a white hood. Garbed in a slim, form-fitting purple kimono that came down to a few inches above the mid-thigh and simple red-bead necklace. She was also showing off a rather generous amount of cleavage, making Inko feel just a tad envious catching some of the nearby males gawking before ushering her inside.

The two began chatting, with Inko stepping away to boil some tea.

"Really? Sei-an City is where you live now?" Inko said, astonished while placing a freshly brewed cup of tea on the table for Rao.

"Yes. I'm actually considered something of an 'assistant' to the queen there," Rao said with a soft peal of laughter. "Trust me though, there are days where I do not wish to crawl out of bed in the morning because of it."

"Oh my, is she that bad?" Inko said, a laugh of her own spilling out.

"Well, there was this one time involving this mallet, let's just say….it was not the proudest of moments for me." Rao informed, smiling fondly while Inko laughed, continuing her stories from work.. "Believe it or not, when I offered to fix the ruined dress that's when one of the attendants informed me the queen had accidently tripped, creating an even larger tear and if I were to take the dress she would have to attend the meeting in her birthday suit. It was one tragedy after another, I tell you!"

Rao had only arrived a few minutes ago and already Inko felt more at ease since first stepping foot in the village. She forgot how good the other woman was at easing her worries. Rao was one of the people Inko felt the saddest over leaving behind, even if the aforementioned assured her she understood.

Rao was kind. Understanding. Everything she wanted from her family, especially Susano, but never seemed to get.

"So then, what's this I hear that you have a daughter now?" Rao said, the corner of her lips pulled back into a tender smile. Inko's features softening at the reminder of her little girl.

"Aw, and here I was planning to surprise you." Inko teased.

"Well, fortunately I ran into Mr. Orange who, in case you might be wondering, is still doing his special ritual to make the cherry blossoms bloom. "Rao commented, amused. Inko burst out laughing.

"You mean to say he's still doing the 'Konohana Shuffle'?" Inko said with a shake of her head, laughter still spilling out as she envisioned the elder male doing those ridiculous dance moves every year, convinced none of the trees would bloom without it.

"I think he's added a few new moves to the mix if you're interested in watching?" Rao commented, taking a long sip of her tea.

"Oh as tempting as it might be, the one time as a child was _more_ than enough. Though to this day I still wonder how he makes that Orange on his head grow as well?" Inko murmured, curious.

"If I recall he did say his quirk has to do with oranges." Rao said in a more thoughtful tone.

'_Yes._' Inko thought still smiling, allowing herself to fall back into that peaceful rhythm of things, if only just a little. '_This is what I've missed most. Being close to the ones I left behind._'

~/~

"Alright, let's talk about our roles." Both Izumi and the boy who'd introduced himself as Kokari stared, uncomprehending of the other boy, Mushi, and his words. The other two exchanging a brief look of befuddlement before simultaneously raising a hand.

"But...we've only just met?" Was Izumi's half mumbled response, not quite sure what he was referring to.

"And, and!" Kokari cut in, almost falling when he leaned forward some. His dog, Ume, had to pull him back. "Why do we need 'roles' anyway if all we're doing is hanging out?"

Mushi let out an exasperated sigh, sharing a quick look with his dog before looking at the other two and puffing his chest out proudly. "Since there's three of us now we gotta have a chain of command, so...me and Hayabusa are the leaders. Kokari, when we're not around, you and Ume are the ones in charge!"

Something in his tone made Izumi's left brow twitch a little. Mushi seemed to have a better temperament than Kachan, and no explosive sweat but...the bossiness seemed about the same. Or was it just arrogance?

"Maybe it's a boy thing?" She muttered quietly to herself. Snapping back into the conversation only to realize Mushi and Kokari had dissolved into yet another round of 'fisticuffs'. Only this time, it almost seemed like the dogs were cheering them out, giving out the occasional howl or bark whenever their respective owner managed to score a hit.

"It's _definitely_ a boy thing…" Izumi muttered again.

The last glimmers of daylight were disappearing over the horizon with a blanket of stars starting to shine overhead. The vast view of the sky being obscured by the soft, flowing cherry blossom petals that came snapping off the ends of a few tree branches, blending together for a blissful atmosphere Izumi herself would never be able to put into words. It was almost like magic.

"Beautiful…" Izumi whispered in awe. Choosing to look out over the village rather than the two boys still scuffling. Letting out a long-winded sigh as a breeze blew a few stray petals her way.

"_Izumi_."

Izumi's eyes snapped open. The breeze died out as quickly as it came. Leaving behind the scent of freshly grown flowers.

"Hey, uh…" She turned slowly, the sound of her voice making the two boys pause suddenly. "Did either of you...hear something?"

"Like what?" They both said, glaring at each other. "Hey, don't copy me!" They snapped at one another.

"I thought I heard someone say my name just now. Guess I was wrong?" Izumi pondered, starting to mutter to herself a bit.

The two dogs, Ume and Hayabusa, came a little closer to her now. She smiled when they cuddled up to her affectionately.

"Izumi."

She blinked. Her gaze swerved from the two dogs now vying for attention, looking forward. She could see most of the village from where she was perched between the swaying tree branches, everything from the Orange's house to the spinning water wheel, even the entrance of the village-

"What...what in the…?" She whispered, barely able to make out something-a person, if she had to guess, garbed in purple and ran out the village entrance. '_Who is that_?' Izumi thought, unsure of why anyone would leave when the festival's about to start.

"Oh hey!" Mushi said, both him and Kokari appearing on either side of her, both looking a little worse for wear now. "I think that's Susano!"

"How come he's leaving when the festival's about to start though…?" Kokari wondered aloud.

Hmmm, maybe he's off to do more of that 'secret training' of his?" Mushi contemplated, arms folded with his head tilted in a inquisitive manner. "Oh hey I got an idea," he said leaning in close and starting to whisper. "Let's follow him."

"Huh? But, why?" Kokari questioned.

"Well, aren't you curious? Susano is related to Nagi after all! And the descendant of a hero _must_ have some pretty neat training tips to give, am I right?" Mushi reasoned, receiving a nod from his dog before looking back over to Kokari.

The rabbit-wearing boy seemed hesitant to agree, leading to Mushi's gaze settling on Izumi instead.

"Izumi, don't you wanna see what kind of training he does? After all he's related to a hero." Izumi's expression became more torn at the last word. '_And that would also make him my uncle, wouldn't it? Then how come mom never really mentioned him?_' Izumi thought, growing more curious by the second.

"Uh Izumi, you're muttering to yourself again…" Mushi said, pulling her from her thoughts. She felt heat rise onto her cheeks, clamping both hands over her mouth.

"Whatever, come on you two! Get a move on before we lose him!" Mushi ordered, taking off with Hayabusa at his side.

"Um, I guess...we're going then…?" Kokari said aloud, reluctantly starting to follow after. With Izumi caving shortly after him.

~/~

"Ah, that was close! Too close!" A high-pitched voice said, followed by a squak of indignation as it shook the water from it's head. Flapping its arms for good measure. A quick turn of the head, and the creature felt it's lips turn down into a pensive frown before swishing it's small little stubby tail around causing the three much smaller set of flippers to let go.

A peal of laughter spilling out as he watched his children roll about the soft grass around them. Oblivious to what was unfolding on the mortal plains below them.

"Michigami, you have returned." A deep voice rumbled from the sea of stars shining up above. The penguin craned it's head towards the heavens watching a large cluster of stars spin together, weaving to make hard, glittering scales and sharp talons.

"Yomigami." The penguin greeted, waddling close to the edge of the grass. "The river of the heavens has run dry already," he said gesturing towards the now dull looking currents of water flowing around them, "it no longer holds the shrine of the stars within its currents. This is most troubling."

The dragon inclined it's head, giving out a long hum of agreement while peering down through the clouds. It's wizened gaze focused entirely on the flickering image of a girl with unruly black hair and wide, innocent eyes. Watching her running just behind two boys her age, the trio venturing outside the safety of Kamiki.

His slanted eyes narrowing when he saw two women exiting a house, catching sight of the children; One giving off a much warmer aura than the other, which was shrouded with an unusual darkness. It made him uneasy.

~/~

'_Here it is. The Moon Cave._'

Susano had only ever been to this place once before, back when he was very young. On a day when he was especially tired from the struggles of everyday life, from being constantly weighed down by the legend that was 'Nagi the Swordsman'. It was after his parents were killed, and before Inko left him.

But all that was behind him. He would prove that the legend of Nagi was only ever just that, a legend; a myth to tell children so as to not crush their dreams when they're young. Today he would finally be free of the looks of disappointment and harsh whispers surrounding him, telling him nothing he ever did was good enough, and it all starts with him pulling the sword.

Nagi's sword is known as Tsukuyomi. The very one that many believed was used to slay the great demon, Orochi. A blade that was said to have been blessed by the gods themselves during the battle.

Standing so close to the place of evil, Susano felt like he was being shrouded in the encroaching darkness with each step closer towards the sword. "Is this the legendary sword?" He mumbled to himself, taking in the ethereal glow about it. "Is this truly Tsukuyomi, the sword that banished the dreaded Orochi?" His expression changed into one of contempt before placing his hands around the hilt. "No. It couldn't be...It's just a legend after all. Nothing more than a fairytale!"

His words were spoken aloud like a declaration, a renouncing of his own heritage. Shaking with unbridled fury as he gave the sword a mighty pull, feeling it get loosened from its stone entrapment and the moment it did, a terrifying tremor rocked the earth.

"No! You mustn't remove it!" A voice echoed, slicing through the still air and causing Susano to drop the now freed blade hearing it clatter to the ground.

"R-Rao!?" He said, shocked. But it was too late…

"_**O he who seeks power**_..._**He who has broken my bonds**_!" Susano slowly turned, quaking with fear, Eight pairs of crimson-red eyes were staring back at him from the veil of shadows within the cave and part of him swore he could see razor-sharp teeth gleaming even in such darkness. It was real. Orochi was _real_!

"Susano, run!" Inko's voice got him moving again. Without thinking he did as told, his own two clumsy feet working against him and causing him to trip along the way.

"_**That a descendant of Nagi would break my bonds**_, _**what foolish creatures you humans are**_!" The beast roared, it's eight heads raising up towards the heavens and giving out a deafening howl that shook the lands. The darkness that seemed contained within the Moon Cave began pouring out in waves, drenching the land in it's evil embrace and choking all life from anything in its path.

"Susano!" Inko cried, her body moving forward without thought. Spurred by the sight of her only living relative about to die, suffocated by the darkness.

She missed the demonic red eyes behind her as she dove forward, barely catching the glint of something _sharp_ heading towards her-

"_INKO_!"

* * *

_**Review.**_

_Hope you enjoyed!_


	4. Divine Intervention

_Disclaimer: I do not own My hero academia or Okami._

_Warning(s): __AU. Genderbent Izuki. Possible OOCness. Instances of blood/violence/gore, things of that nature since-hey, at the end of they day they're still fighting-and some quirks are more privy to things of that nature._

_Now without further ado, enjoy!_

* * *

_**Divine intervention**_

* * *

"W-..._what is this_?"

From every corner of the earth came signs that the apocalypse was suddenly upon them. The lush, green land of Shinshu field abruptly warped into barren, withered, ghastly looking plains. The air was heavy with the smell of rotten flesh and death; it hung as a haze in the air that partially obscured the now blood-red sun shining overhead.

Izumi stood, watching in horror as the last droplets of crimson were completely eclipsed. There was something ominous in the air that made her shiver in barely suppressed fear. It was at that moment that an unearthly howl pierced through the night and the earth the three children were standing on was torn asunder.

"Aaaahh! M-Mushi, wh-what's happening!?" Kokari demanded, quaking in fear even more so than the other two. His head whipped in every direction as he fell from the force of the sudden tremor. "I-I want to go home!"

Mushi looked less afraid, but not by very much. The dragonfly he was holding onto had long since gotten free; Izumi could only assume it had booked it back to the village..

"I-I-I don't know! Uh, Izumi, Kokari...L-let's get out of here!" The other two kids nodded their agreement, struggling back to their feet before making a mad dash back the way they had come.

"H-Hey, look!" Izumi's and Mushi's eyes followed Kokari's pointing finger as they ran, seeing Susano racing back towards the village himself. Izumi felt an inexplicable weight settle in her chest, acting on a rare moment of courage as she called out to him from afar.

"Uncle Susano!" Whether they were simply too far apart or he just couldn't hear over the monstrous roars that sounded behind them Izumi had no idea, but something was telling her not to flee. Seeing her uncle there, it felt like a bad sign.

"_The Moon Cave_. _You must go to the Moon Cave_. _Hurry_!"

Izumi froze. It was the same voice as before, from back in the village near the statue of Shiranui. She turned, looking with fearful, wide eyes at the spiraling column of darkness piercing the heavens in the direction of the opposite area.

"I-Izumi! What are you doing?" Mushi hollered, the two boys skidding to a halt themselves.

"C-c-come on! We gotta hurry, even Susanoo's running!" Kokari's voice trembled, shaking more and more with each passing second.

She didn't want to die. A large part of her felt that if she followed the disembodied voice's words...then there would be no going back. What they wanted her to see or do, _whoever_ they were….they felt she _had_ to be there.

Izumi took another step...and ran towards the Moon Cave, away from Kamiki village.

"IZUMI!"

~/~

_Heroes are made when someone makes a choice, it's that choice that for better or worse sets the whole thing into action, that's what All Might said. I didn't know it at the time, but my choice right then and there would have a far-reaching effect on things._

_~/~_

"_**Aaaah**_, _**how long has it been since last I've had a body of flesh and bone with which to do as I see fit**_?" The voice Izumi heard was further down the winding path that led to the cave's one and only entrance. There was something strangely inhumane about it, sending a bone-chilling kind of terror traveling down her spine.

"_**I suppose that I owe it all to this human wench**_. _**Had she not been so willing to die I would have**_-"

The voice cut itself off, or maybe it was just the scuffing of Izumi's own shoes as she reached the end of the trail.

Her world came crashing down around her as she did. There, lying on the cold, hard ground with thick rivulets of blood leaking from her mouth and down her chin was Izumi's _mother_. Unmoving and looking far too pale for Izumi herself to remain composed.

"M-...m...om?" Izumi's voice cracked. Her steps were uneven, faltering the further along she went.

Her watering eyes went a little further down to what _used_ to be her mother's ribcage; it now looked like someone had quite literally punched a hole through it. The bloody, jagged points of her ribs were completely visible, giving off an eerie shine like someone or _thing_ had licked the bones clean of any cartilage or meat. The pool of crimson beneath the body was rapidly growing, implying it had only just happened.

Izumi had arrived too late to even think of offering assistance, let alone have any chance of actually saving her mother.

"Mo...m…" Grief washed over her like an unforgiving wave, dragging her beneath a crushing sense of loss.

"_Useless Deku_! _What can someone like **you** __do_! _You can't save anyone_!"

She let out a horrific, agonized scream. Her gut-wrenching sobs echoed throughout the cave, multiplying a thousand times over in both volume and anguish until they drowned out all else.

_A few minutes earlier_…

In Kamiki village near the sacred Konohana tree, the dark skies swirling overhead and earth rumbling below, stood the statue of Shiranui, seemingly untouched by the sudden surge of evil that now ate away at the very lands. As though sensing its presence, the surrounding clouds lurched ominously and another unearthly howl pierced the air as a boulder came hurtling towards the still statue.

A sudden, intensely bright light spilled from the tree, coalescing directly in front of the statue. The light faded to reveal a fairly tall-looking woman with a powerful purple aura surrounding her body. Donned in a pink kimono with peach shaped cutouts that revealed the top of her chest, back and rear, she hovered above the ground with a thin, purple wrap that appeared to be made of mist floating about her figure.

"How troublesome!" She said aloud, before looking down in sadness at the sudden destruction that swept over the land. A sense of dread filled her as she muttered her next words. "Perhaps meeting that girl was an act of fate after all... In which case…"

She turned and fixed her gaze on the statue Shiranui, the fabled wolf of legend who had aided Nagi and was instrumental in the defeat of Orochi.

"The time has come. We must act quickly, before all is lost!" Silence followed her words, save for the distant, inhumane howls and breaking of the earth. "Amaterasu?"

The statue remained as it was, unmoving. The carefully polished stone showed no sign of breaking, staying lifeless much to Sakuya's growing confusion.

"Amaterasu?" She tried again, and then again. Still no response, just the ever-growing darkness threatening to engulf them.

'_Could it be_…!?' Sakuya's train of thought began to wander, going back to large, green eyes and a familiar presence that tickled at the back of her mind. '_That girl_, _the one from earlier_!'

"I must find her, quickly! If I don't then Kamiki- no, all of Nippon will-" Sakuya was cut off, intending to do just that when she was forced to stop, her ethereal form being incapable of moving beyond Kamiki's borders. "No...I am not strong enough…"

The invisible thread that tied her to her precious Konohana tree gave a purposeful tug, almost jerking her back full force. Her panicked gaze swept over the inhabitants of the village, the people now beginning to panic as the encroaching decay and overwhelming aura of death crept closer and closer. She watched as a few citizens actually got pulled in, their flesh and bones broken down immediately by the darkness and inhuman claws reaching up from below the earth's surface.

"No…" Sakuya whispered, horrified. "No...There must be _something_ that can be done!"

Gathering the last remnants of power she had, Sakuya clasped her ghostly hands together in the form of a silent prayer and sent it skyward. The village below her was suddenly bathed in the same shimmering, purple aura as her own. '_Please_..._lend us your aid_!'

Her last thought went to the people of Kamiki and beyond, praying for a way to beat back the growing darkness.

~/~

"_**Now is not the time for tears**_, _**little one**_."

Izumi's sobs became a bit more muffled, flinching at the sudden voice in her head. It sounded so warm and comforting despite the horrific circumstances. It reminded her of-

"M-mom!?" Izuki's watery eyes snapped to the unmoving body that lay a few feet from her. A part of her was too lost in thoughts of not wanting to get any closer or touching to confirm the flesh was as cold as it looked to register that there was no heartbeat in her torn-open rib cage anymore.

So wrapped up in her grief was she that Izumi failed to notice the attack that came swooping in from behind her.

"_**Behind you**_!"

A blinding, orangish-red light suddenly engulfed her body, seeming to flow out of some unknown source, and bathed the clearing in a warm, powerful glow much stronger than that of any quirk she'd seen on TV before. What sounded like a roar rang in Izumi's ears as the glow spread outward in a bubble, drawing everyone and everything nearby into its powerful embrace.

When she looked back, she was greeted with a _nightmarish_ sight; eight pairs of crimson-red eyes stared back at her, each belonging to a serpent-like face perched on a neck that receded into the darkness. The dirty-looking golden scales gave off an ominous glow around what Izumi could see of the monster's form. It hissed, smoke rising from the small area of burnt flesh covering one of it's faces. More than anything though, Izumi was overwhelmed by how utterly _familiar_ it was to her.

"W-what...is this?" Her voice wavered, unable to keep the tremor out of her next words. "O-Orochi…!? B-but that's not-..."

"Izumi, wait! Wait for us!" Two sets of feet came racing down the beaten path, closer and closer until the familiar faces of Kokari and Mushi were staring back at her.

Izumi paled. Realization dawned on her at hearing a sudden hiss of frustration and seeing the serpent-like monster - _Orochi, she still couldn't believe it_! - arch its body in preparation to strike. It's speed was unreal, maybe even faster than All Might's if Izumi were being honest. Her body moved without thinking, her only concern becoming the two boys she'd met only a few hours ago.

The ones who had been kinder to her than most up until now. Who willingly came after her when she took off without warning.

The too cold-looking, too still body of her mother lying a few feet behind her, her hand reached out towards the two local boys.

"_Run_!"

No sooner had the word left her mouth then they started to do just that, turning as one of the eight heads opened its mouth to show off sharp, glistening teeth.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl around them. Bakugo's biting words from the playground rang inside Izumi's head.

"_What can someone like **you** __do_!"

The last thing she felt was_**pain**_. Indescribable and unimaginable pain as her bones and flesh were suddenly torn into.

_It was like something from a comic book, a work of fiction come to life in the worst imaginable way possible. She was staring down **death** and didn't know it. What made it worse was that she had unintentionally dragged others down with her._

_The hyacinths bent beneath her fingers. She could feel the wind brushing against her skin, having traveled from some far-off place. A myriad of pleasant aromas took the place of that dark, ominous-looking altar and lingering scent of freshly spilled blood -_flowers, forests; there was so much green!_\- prompting her eyes to open and take in all that she was seeing. She heard the distant sound of running water from a nearby stream and the faint chirping of birds in the air all around her._

_The wind rolled through the lush plains of green like a wave on the water._

_"Where...am I?"_

_She stood on shaky legs, uncertain and afraid. There was no sign of human life other than her own._

_"Oh," said a voice softly from behind her and she whirled around, trying to find its owner._

_There's a hill behind her - closer than she was expecting, and she's not sure why she was expecting one at all - but at the top, on the sandy path down to where Izumi stood, was a young male. He looked to be in his early twenties or so, if she were to guess. The angle and the sunlight made it hard to tell more than that, though she was sure he was sweltering in that thick winter coat of his._

_There was an abundance of white on him, including his hair, with some occasional splashes of red, blue, smaller amounts of black._

_"Do you… recognize me?" the male asks, suddenly right in front of her. He must have made his way down the hill while Izumi was lost in her thoughts, stopping a few feet away. She still couldn't make out his expression, but his face…_

_"I feel like I should," admitted Izumi. The man's face held something like pain; faint, but clear, like someone else's feelings._

_"My name is Itegami," he informed gently at the look of puzzlement she gave. A small, soothing smile graced his lips._

_Without quite understanding why Izumi felt her cheeks heat up, only just noticing their close proximity. "S-sorry. I uh, I-I'm afraid I don't...really recall how I got here…" Her words did little to ease the deep look of sorrow etched onto his smooth features. She wanted so badly to make it go away._

_"You were...about to be killed. Ripped to shreds by Orochi,. He didn't look at her while he talked, instead turning his eyes toward the sun shining overhead, so he missed the way Izumi's eyes slowly widened in horror as she recalled what happened._

_Her breaths came faster and more panicked than ever before. "I-that's right! I remember now, that-that **thing**, it-" She started hyperventilating, unable to form a coherent sentence, or even a coherent thought. Her emotions overwhelmed her for the first few moments, then all too quickly her thoughts shifted back onto the two innocents she'd tried to protect._

_"Kokari and Mushi! That thing will kill them! I have to-!" She turned, breaking off into a sprint only to skid in the fresh-smelling flowers instead. Beating her fists against the ground in frustration. "Wait, no! I can't do anything if I'm about to die myself, can I!?" She screamed, bitter tears of frustration spilling out onto her cheeks._

_"K-Kacchan was right! I-...I'm no good to anyone!" She said, unable to hold back a sudden sob._

_All the while the mysterious man looked on, his expression one of sorrow and sympathy. One of his hands tentatively rose to touch something on his chest, concealed underneath thick layers of fabric. A sudden look of determination overtook his seren features as he listened to the gut-wrenching sobs escaping the smaller girl._

_"Izumi," he called, waiting for the anguished cries to subside a bit more before continuing. "I...have a request for you. Will you please hear it?"_

_The girl in question looked back, confusion clear on her face._

_"I want to go home. To be with my family, back on the Celestial Plain."_

_"The...Celestial Plain?" Izumi repeated, brows furrowing together while looking at the boy before her, uncomprehending. "You mean that place from the story. The place where the wolf that defeated Orochi came from? It's real?"_

_Itegami nodded. Expression becoming more serious._

_"But wait, then...w-wouldn't that mean that you're-"_

_"Time is of the essence, Izumi." Itegami cut in, his firm tone and unwavering stare speaking to her louder than any words. "What will you do? Right now, in this space, time is at a standstill of sorts."_

_"A...standstill?" Izumi sniffled, looking around. "But there's a breeze and-and the flowers, they're swaying in the wind."_

_Itegami let a sad smile across his face. Expressions suddenly turning crestfallen._

_"It's not a standstill as in time has completely been halted; more like a dream. This is somewhere that the flow of time cannot truly touch, a special place." He walked towards the flowing stream and knelt down, resting his hand just over the glistening water's surface. His eyes suddenly started to glow._

_Izumi blinked and suddenly winter had come rolling through. Gone were the once colorful array of flowers and fresh, flowing water. The greenery had been replaced with an endless sea of white instead that crunched beneath her every shuddered at the sudden cold._

_"S-s-s-s-so c-c-c-cold…!" Her teeth clattered together as she huddled into herself to try and hold onto any fleeting bit of warmth._

_She blinked, feeling a sudden weight settle onto her shoulders, immediately feeling warmer. Looking up she saw the boy, Itegami, had closed the distance between them and casually draped his warm-looking, fur-trimmed coat over her slender shoulders. His glacier-blue eyes reflected warmth and sincerity despite the sudden chill surrounding him and bathing him in snowy-white aura._

_"I'm sorry, perhaps my 'demonstration' was a bit much," he said with a soft peal of laughter._

_"**Oi, oi, oi! Itegami-nii, now's not really the time to be showcasing our stuff, wouldn't you say****?**"_

Izumi internally jolted, eyes widening as she was suddenly thrown back into her current predicament. An orange glow of power, the same as before, only stronger somehow, was striking at another of the serpent-like heads and filling the air with brightly-glowing embers.

The glowing embers leaped and twirled in a fiery dance, twinkling like stars in the suddenly hot, sweltering heat around them. They swirled in the air and took shape before cascading to earth like gleeful fire-fiends, setting alight the dark, oppressive atmosphere surrounding the entrance to the Moon Cave. Izumi and the two boys were captivated.

The creature's fiery wings gilded softly past her, bringing warmth into her body. It flew once, twice around her and the other two before finally stopping to rest on the young girl's shoulders. Its body was like blazing fire, burning brightly even through the impenetrable darkness. Just as fire is the light in the dark, the phoenix had risen to protect the innocent.

"_**O chosen one. Heir to origin of all that is good and mother to us all... Sealed away by the dark forces, I have spent years in this cave. Time passed and I was unable to make my way to freedom. But now, your power has lifted the curse that plagued me. I, Moegami, god of flames, hereby lend you my power. Burn a new source of light into the obscuring darkness**_!"

~/~

_It felt like something from a comic or a dream. Something beyond imagination, something that I could hardly believe. It was like someone suddenly lit a beacon of hope for me to latch onto and follow. I felt something **awaken** within me, reaching out to grab a hold of whatever destiny it was that had been placed in front of me._

_It was a day meant to signal the end of Nippon, only instead, my journey began. My journey to becoming the greatest hero!_

* * *

_Review please._

_Hope you enjoyed!_


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